The Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center is dedicated to the central practice of awakening. The activities of the Center cultivate awareness of the essential beauty and dignity of life coming from full engagement with life-as-it-is.

The Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center is named after Jikai Dainin Katagiri Roshi, the root teacher of Joen Snyder O'Neal and Michael O'Neal. Jikai, Compassionate Ocean, refers to reality itself, which always holds us and bathes us with compassion. Even though we may not be aware of it, even though we may be experiencing a lot of suffering, still we are held in the great ocean of Buddha's compassion.